And We Meet, Once Again
by kongetsume
Summary: Himeko and Chikane were granted another shot at building a happy future together. But things are easier said than done, and they'll have to overcome many ghosts of the past and deal with the new set of complications included in this life. Rated T for now.
1. Two Halves of the Same Shell

**(A/N)**: Hi guys! My name's Kongetsume and I've been a huge KnM fan for over 4 years now. I used to write a bit here on FF dot net years ago when I was in high school but real-life caught up with me and it all came to a screeching halt. However, seeing as I've grown so much as a person, in my writing and in my interests, I've decided I should maybe pick this hobby up again even if only as a part-time thing. Therefore, please take into consideration my long hiatus from the scene as you critique this story. Oh, one last thing to keep in mind- I spent 8 months studying abroad in Japan, so I'll be drawing from actual locations in Kyoto and other cities I visited with occasional tweaks here and there. Hope you enjoy!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Kannazuki no Miko. That there series belongs to Kaishaku, NHK , Tokyopop and Geneon Entertainment. Basically a bunch of people who wear glasses, sat around a big table and decided on it a while ago.

* * *

_**And We Meet, Once Again**_

Chapter One

_Two Halves of the Same Shell_

A young woman of medium build with blonde hair that reached a few inches below the shoulder sipped languidly on a cool milk tea that was roughly three-quarters of the way consumed. She sat tucked away in a corner on the second floor of the MOS Burger. This section of the establishment was free of the hustle and bustle of cashiers taking orders and customers lining up, trying to make up their minds on what to purchase.

The woman took no regard of the surroundings as her mind was preoccupied with an event that had just transpired moments, minutes or was it hours, ago? She wasn't even sure exactly how much time had passed but it didn't even matter. Her heart was reeling with the remnants of the emotions that had hit her. Letting out a soft sigh, she brought a hand to support her chin as amethyst-colored eyes stared down at the now nearly empty glass.

'I'm such an idiot. I made a huge fool out of myself, didn't I?' she thought. Idly swirling around the ice cubes and seeking the satisfying clink sound as they hit the wall of the glass, the girl closed her eyes in meditative thought. It didn't take long for her to invoke the event that stood at the forefront of very recent memory.

* * *

_At the huge four-way intersection in front of Kyoto Station, the aforementioned woman clutched a white opaque handbag while waiting for the signal to cross, humming a catchy tune in her mind. Knowing instinctively that the change was imminent, she stepped off from the pavement as soon as it changed to 'walk' and stepped out a few feet. She was surrounded by the continuous tapping of people's feet against concrete echoing around her ear drums and the whoosh of air as it caught in her clothes as she walked. It was such a pleasant day and she wondered idly at the magnificence of nature. She shrugged off her quizzical mental banter and set her focus straight ahead before her klutzy nature came out to play, landing her head first into unforgiving concrete. It was then that she looked up when her eyes met the sight of a woman of unparalleled beauty. All of her surroundings fazed out of focus and into a blank background the moment she laid eyes on her._

_Another young woman of a taller build was coming from the opposite direction. Rays that caught in her long, midnight blue hair made it seem like it sparkled under the sun of midday. A white, sleeveless sun dress accentuated her curvaceous body perfectly and she held a piercing sapphire gaze that would render anyone self-conscious._

_However, when she witnessed the small, pink shell that bounced to the rhythm of her movements against her graceful neck, her eyes widened and she stopped dead in her tracks. As if the floodgates of a thousand years were released, tears formed in her eyes, filling to the brim and freely spilling over. The young woman seemed to notice her distraught state and paused in front of her, head cocked to the side, wondering what could be afflicting the stranger that gazed at her as though she were someone lost long ago and now found. To her even greater surprise, this stranger ran the remaining distance between them and flung her arms around the taller girl's neck in a firm hug. Some may think she was crazy, maybe others think she had gone insane but, at that moment, an uncontrollable force gripped her body. Reason was sent packing when a feeling akin to instinct (how could it be?) drove her to perform the action._

_The physical reactions and feelings that hit her all at once were countless. Panging in the heart, butterflies in the stomach, sweatiness of the palms, warmth, security, protection, happiness, love… However, reason finally caught up to the blonde when she realized the embrace wasn't being returned and why it wouldn't be. She looked up at the captivating woman and broke into a huge blush when she observed the confusion yet trace of a blush found on the blue-haired beauty's face whose arms had frozen in mid-air. The other girl snapped out of her reverie under the shorter girl's captivating stare. _

"_Um…excuse me. The signal light is about to turn red in a few seconds. We should get out of traffic's way." A warm hand captured her slightly clammy one, leading her to the sidewalk the other woman had come from. The blonde felt absolutely mortified and embarrassed over what had occurred. Nonetheless, she secretly marveled at the delicious warmth of the other girl's hand. It served to appease her anxiety somewhat. She managed to wipe the trails of tears off her face with her free hand in the meantime, trying to regain some semblance of dignity. _

_Once out of harm's way, the taller woman let go and she instantly felt the loss. However, the more refined of the two seemed poised to speak and, gathering her wit, the blonde stood to attention._

"_I'm sorry. I am not sure we've met before. And you happen to be…"_

_She wanted to answer immediately, yet her throat was raw and dry from the emotions that had hit her like a semi-truck and it took her a few moments to find her voice._

"_K-Kurusugawa. Kurusugawa Himeko."_

"_Pleased to meet you, Kurusugawa-san. I'm Himemiya Chikane."_

"_Chikane-chan." The name rolled off her tongue so easily like she had used it hundreds of times before. How was it even possible? This was the first and only person she was acquainted with that had such a name. Himeko, having broken a very important rule of civility with a complete stranger, knew she had overstepped her bounds. How many more times would she make a complete idiot out of herself in front of this woman? Realizing her blunder, she bowed deeply in apology as if she had disobeyed orders from a superior. While doing so she did not notice the wide eyes and the slight blush of her counterpart who was starting to find her quite endearing…albeit just a tad strange._

"_I'm terribly sorry…Himemiya-san." If having this complete stranger address her in a very familiar manner had struck her as a no-no, then when she heard herself addressed politely left a bad taste in her mouth and her brow furrowed in displeasure. 'I don't know why, but I want this girl to call me Chikane-chan...' Before she could even catch herself, the words were already flowing from her mouth._

"_No…it's quite alright. You may call me that, Kurusugawa-san." At this, the blonde woman's expression lit up and she smiled at the blue-eyed girl._

"_Please call me Himeko, Chikane-chan."_

"_Himeko…" Said girl blushed brightly at the way Chikane said her name. Chikane, herself, also liked the sound of it and enjoyed the tingly feeling that played on her lips as Himeko's name left them. It seemed inexplicably familiar and she never knew that she would enjoy saying someone's name this much. The smile that graced her lips when she did so sent a whole new wave of pangs straight to Himeko's heart._

"_Did you confuse me for someone else, Himeko?" What else could be the explanation for this adorable stranger embracing her out of the blue in as precarious an intersection as this? Although no one until that moment had ever made her feel as wonderful and as coveted as the cute blonde._

"_No, I just- I dunno. I saw your pink shell and, something just came over me. Before I realized what I was doing, I was hugging you. I'm so sorry!" Chikane flinched as she felt the sharp prick of disappointment. Inexplicable disappointment because it didn't seem like this stranger, no, Himeko didn't seem like she had done it out of her own will. Chikane then remembered the amethyst-eyed girl's words and gazed down at the blonde's neck. There, she found an eerily similar pink shell held by a chain made of some cloth and she looked at it in disbelief, remembering the old shell matching game her parents had taught her as a child._

'_And I always thought that children's game was complete nonsense as I became older. It was meant for soul mates that are destined to be together but, in this case, we're both girls.' Chikane wasn't someone who believed in superstition or other kinds of ridiculous tales. She believed in logic, fact and reason. She also wasn't someone who had to deal with feelings of a romantic or sexual nature for either sex or beyond simple companionship and friendship, for that matter. Yet the moment they had embraced, every single emotion Chikane had, including ones she didn't even _know_ she had swept through her entire being like a gigantic tidal wave._

_Figuring this was a topic she could take her time to ruminate over in the privacy of her own home, the blue-haired girl decided to keep it on the back burner for another time. Instead, she decided to focus on the twin shells hanging around both of their necks. Chikane was practically itching to ask Himeko if she had ever heard about it and maybe even try to see if they fit together. It was a childish thought, but she figured she was seeking some sort of validation for the uncanny way fate had decided they would cross paths and knock the sails out of both of them._

_"Chikane-chan, have you ever heard of the shell matching game?" Himeko inquired, answering Chikane's question for her without even having to say a word; like she had read her mind. Chikane held back an overly enthusiastic and knowing response and merely nodded her head in the affirmative. Chikane had let down quite a few walls today, way over the limit, yet she knew somewhere deep down that she couldn't help it. This blonde angel was taking Himemiya Chikane and slowly stripping her completely of who she was supposed to be...or thought she was supposed to be._

_Himeko looked into Chikane's eyes inquisitively but completely forgot the next thing she was going to say when she gazed completely into Chikane's eyes. As the saying goes, the eyes are the window to the soul, and Himeko definitely started to believe the statement as she looked intently into those crystal blues. She gazed at a soul that was forcibly hidden but at the root of it all was utterly striking and enchanting. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest at realizing how lost she had gotten in those blue depths and the incessant blushing did not go unnoticed by Chikane, who had found a pure and beautiful soul staring right back at her through sparkling amethyst. She coughed softly feeling absolutely smothered and this served to break Himeko out of her stupor._

_"Is it ok if I take a look at your shell for a moment, Chikane-chan?"_

"_Oh…sure."_

_Chikane watched intrigued as Himeko lifted the shell from her neck and attempted to join it to the one on her own. In the process, however, their bodies came into close contact once again and Chikane lost her strength of mind at the exquisite warmth radiating off of the shorter blonde's body. Himeko, too, did not go without noticing and enjoyed being, once again, in such near proximity to the midnight-haired goddess and blushed in contemplation of it all. She quickly realized, however, that the necklaces were too short and weren't going to give, so she decided to attempt a different approach._

"_Um, would it be too much of a bother to ask you to take it off?" If Himeko didn't know better, the question came off as awfully suggestive._

"_What?" Chikane replied uncharacteristically bluntly, visibly surprised, and with a faint blush to boot._

"_Your necklace, I mean," Himeko added, mentally kicking herself for her phrasing. Her mind was beginning to tread through dangerous territory and it wasn't a common occurrence for her. _

"_Oh, yes." Chikane reached back and unhooked her necklace, dropping it into the other girl's hands. "Here you go." Himeko held it in one palm as she proceeded to do the same, pulling her own necklace over her head. Both women watched expectantly as the shorter one brought both shells together. Closer and closer, inch by inch, until they touched._

_Any doubt they had vanished that very instant. Unmistakably, both halves were a perfect fit._

_What did this all mean? Himeko and Chikane looked at one another incredulously, yet there was no denying the fact. Out of everyone in the world, these two wore two halves of the same exact pink shell. Matching shell game or not, the chances that two such people would meet were slim to none. It was as if it were a happening orchestrated by a higher calling. A calling beyond this sheer idle existence. The gods seemed to have lots in store for these two and only time would tell what would become of them._

_Himeko, rather boldly, grasped one of Chikane's free hands and looked at her with a twinkle in the eyes. Like a lost memory of long ago, somewhere deep inside she knew this was the person she promised herself she would spend her whole life looking for. It was the reason why she rejected her childhood friend and guardian, Oogami Souma. It was a rejection that not only pained her friend but bothered her as well. She should've been able to accept and return Souma's kind love and protection but something inside her strongly believed otherwise. Her inner strength guided her through tough and painful times and it all resulted in this moment. A moment so fragile that it was more likely to never have happened. But in the here and now it _did_ happen, and Himeko knew she needed Chikane forever._

_Chikane was caught in a whirlwind of thoughts and sensations. Had it been any other stranger, she would've already expressed her displeasure and sent the person away. Without muttering obscenities, mind you. But she couldn't. Not to Himeko. This girl had just moments ago abruptly entered her life and was throwing her for a loop. Just who was she? She felt like she was someone she was supposed to remember but couldn't put her finger on. Oh, would it make life so much easier if she did! At any cost, she was determined to stick around until she found out. She looked entranced at the shorter girl and felt herself start to lean down towards her._

_The cell phone in her left pocket rung unceremoniously loud, causing Chikane to jump slightly. She politely excused herself to pick up the call, knowing what was coming._

"_Hello?"_

'_Chikane? Where on Earth are you? You were supposed to meet us at the office ten minutes ago.'_

"_I'm sorry, Mother. It seems like I lost track of time, I'll be there in less than five minutes."_

'_Is everything alright? It's unlike you to be late.'_

"_Yes, everything's fine. I'll explain myself later."_

'_Okay daughter, I'll see you soon.'_

"_I'll see you there." She hung up with an audible click of her flip phone._

_The look on Himeko's face tugged on Chikane's heartstrings. She looked like she had lost a puppy or some precious pet and the color of her eyes had become a sad purple._

"_I'm __**really**__ sorry, Chikane-chan! I didn't mean to interrupt you or waste your time…" Chikane shook her head vigorously._

"_No, Himeko, this definitely wasn't a waste of my time. But I do have a commitment with my mother I have to uphold." Chikane racked her brain to come up with something quickly, not wanting to leave the girl on such a hasty note._

"_Do you own a cell phone?"_

"_Yeah."_

"_Can it do infrared transmission?"_

"_Yep, why?"_

"_Let's exchange numbers and e-mail so we can chat more again at some other time, okay?" Chikane was nearly blinded by the bright smile that came forth from Himeko and a small smile tugged at her own lips._

"_Okay!" Himeko reached for the phone in her bag while Chikane flipped hers open again. Bringing them together, it was only a matter of seconds before the data transfer was complete._

"_I really have to get going now. Feel free to call or text me later." Flashing the other girl an award-winning smile, Himemiya Chikane was back off in the opposite direction. Himeko stood rooted to the spot, still in semi-disbelief over all that had transpired in the last –she checked her watch- about fifteen minutes of her young life. She was sure she had made a complete moron out of herself in the presence of such a regal person like Chikane. Himeko shrugged. She would surely learn more about the taller girl in due time._

_Right now, though, she was really thirsty after the whole ordeal and she decided to head to the MOS Burger she knew was nearby. There, she would quench her thirst with a nice, cool glass of milk tea. Suddenly remembering the shells, she glanced down and noticed she still held both her and Chikane's necklaces._

'_Stupid!' she thought of herself._

* * *

Himeko's trip through memory lane came to a halt when a low ping signaled the receipt of a text message. She opened the message and found it to be from her best friend, Saotome Makoto.

_Hey Himeko! Wanna catch some dinner later with me? I wanna know how your day went, details and all. ;-) See ya!  
- Mako_

The recipient smiled. She had known Makoto since her first year of high school when they were roommates and they had remained close ever since. She knew all about her, according to Makoto, stupid rejection of Jin-sama and the resolve to find the other half to her shell. Boy, wait until she heard about all this! Himeko was determined to shove it in her face. Nicely, of course. She typed a response accepting her invitation, asking about the time and place. She looked it over once before pressing send.

Himeko knew that things would surely begin to get more interesting in her life. She was absolutely sure of it.

* * *

**(A/N)**: Well, I think that's enough for one chapter, don'tcha think? I _really_ wanna know what you thought of it. Flames, criticism, praise- all of it. If you really like it and want me to keep going, let me know too. I aim to please! Thank you! ^-^

**Edit:** Anyone interested in being my RP partner? I wanna experiment with some possible situations I could use later in the fic. PM me for further details.


	2. Hazed Reflections

**(A/N)**: Hey everyone! I hoped you enjoyed the first chapter. I'd like to thank those who reviewed and would like to encourage the rest of you readers to do the same. When I first joined ff .net there was no such thing as a tracker for story hits or visitors but, now that such things exist, I know there are plenty of you out there who clicked on this. So if you are reading this, please please please leave me some feedback! Or else, I might not keep writing and we don't want that, do we? ;P Seriously though, I just want to know that my efforts were well spent. Appreciate it!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Kannazuki no Miko, its trademarks or characters. I'm not even making any profit on this, though it would be nice. It's hard being a jobless college graduate in this economy these days.

* * *

Chapter Two

_Hazed Reflections_

The telltale signs of sunset were beginning to swathe the sky above the downtown Kyoto area. This was the moment when the sun's last recesses of reds and pinks would give way to evening twilight. The twilight would be accompanied by the illumination of street and other such lights to welcome the official start of the night. Nighttime was often considered one of debauchery and secrets but Himeko was a person who believed there was also a hidden, mystical beauty to the night. It was on clear nights the moon was visible that she felt enchanted by its silent and fine brilliance. It was similar to the way she felt when she met…

"_Chikane-chan_." The name she whispered had left her lips on its own accord. For what could've been the hundredth time that day, the blonde woman sighed at her scattered thoughts. Mako would certainly poke fun of her friend in her current dazed state and not let her live it down. Besides, would Mako even believe all that she had to say about their fateful encounter?

Himeko fiddled with her bag strap as she waited for her friend outside of a kaitenzushi shop. Both Makoto and Himeko were college students with limited funds, so it had been a wise choice. With the forthcoming nightfall there were many people who began to crowd into the popular eatery and the petite girl began to fret that they would soon have to wait some time until they were finally seated. She glanced at her wristwatch again, the seconds ticking at her mockingly, and her stomach began to release low growling sounds. Thanks to the event earlier, she had neglected to properly feed herself an adequate lunch. Makoto was going to scold her for that one, too.

Just as Himeko was contemplating leaving her name and party at the counter inside, she heard her name being called loudly by someone. Looking up, the girl saw the brunette running towards her, waving an arm at her. The blonde smiled and gave a small wave back before she was glomped by her overly zealous best friend.

"Didja miss me, Himeko? I didn't take too long, did I?" Makoto's hug, unlike the one she had given to Chikane, was super tight and robbed her of air for an entirely different reason. Himeko typically wasn't so open to showing affection in public if you didn't count today's fiasco, but this was one of Mako's endearing characteristics she had learned of during their years as high school classmates and roommates. She secretly enjoyed her friend's embraces, minus the part where people stared and their undivided attention caused her cheeks to flush. Kind of like exactly what was happening at this very moment.

Himeko answered her inquiry with a whiny, "Mako-chan!" and the other girl knew that was the indication to let go of the blonde before she died of embarrassment. The other people who stared turned their heads away from the short scene and kept going on their way. Makoto gave Himeko one of her usual grins and laughed softly as the latter regained her composure.

"Sorry, but you know how much I love giving you hugs!" she said, still chuckling. Himeko gave her a half-hearted glare before smiling and laughing a bit herself.

"I know. You didn't take too long, but I was starting to wonder when you would get here…"

"Oh, are you really hungry? Is that it?" On cue, Himeko's stomach rumbled rather loudly. A slight flush came to her face at her body's involuntary reaction. Alas, Makoto heard it and her brows furrowed as she shook her head.

"Don't tell me- You didn't have lunch today. How many times have I told you-"

"To quit skipping lunch. I know, okaa-san, I know," Himeko taunted her. "You can keep scolding me later, if you want, because I think we should go inside before we end up having to wait long to be seated."

Makoto punched her arm softly though it still hurt if you asked Himeko, who proceeded to rub the spot gently. "Fine," Makoto rejoined as she opened the door to the shop and held it for her friend. They both walked to the counter and asked for a table for two. A young man told them to wait shortly as he scanned the seating chart of the establishment and found a small table to seat the both of them.

A waitress appeared and asked the girls to follow her as she led them to their table on the second floor. As they took a seat across from one another, the woman wrote down their order for drinks and left to retrieve them. An awkward silence pervaded the air between them despite the lively atmosphere that surrounded the restaurant. It was due to the fact that Makoto was worried that maybe she had overstepped her bounds and had upset Himeko. It didn't take long, however, for her to notice the girl hadn't even picked up a single plate of sushi or sashimi from the conveyor belt. At that moment, the woman returned with their teas, the cups thumping against the table when she put them down. This served to snap the longer-haired girl from her reverie. Makoto took this opportunity to resume conversation.

"Himeko, you're acting a little strange today. Did something happen?" Makoto, who had now grown hungry as well, put her personal need aside in order to get to the bottom of things. Himeko was careless, clumsy and sometimes forgetful, but she wasn't usually this quiet…or contemplative.

"Well, something pretty extraordinary happened today and I'm just, not really sure what it all means. Or that I behaved sensibly, for that matter," Himeko responded. She raised the ceramic cup to her lips, blowing some of the hot steam away before taking a cautious sip and putting it back down.

"Tell me about it then," Makoto insisted. Himeko reached over into her bag and pulled out the matching shell necklaces that belonged to both Chikane and herself, holding them out for her to see.

"Don't tell me, you blew money on a necklace with a shell that looks like it matches yours?" Makoto was getting ready to scold her friend for spontaneous decisions but Himeko interrupted her before she could speak again.

"No, the other necklace actually belongs to someone else. I was crossing the intersection in front of Kyoto-eki when, suddenly, I saw this beautiful girl. She's around our age and she has long, dark blue hair and stunning blue eyes and wore a white dress but I froze the moment I saw her wearing this necklace."

"You mean you, Himeko, actually found the sole person in this world who has the other half to your shell? That's crazy!" Makoto exclaimed in a voice full of surprise. "But, why are you holding onto it?" Himeko blushed, knowing she would get asked that.

"I dunno what came over me, but I cried and hugged her in the middle of the street, like she was some long-lost friend. Then the light was going to change, so she took us out of the street and we introduced each other…and I ended up calling her Chikane-_chan_ out of all things. I wanted to see for myself if they actually matched, so I asked her to let me see it. They fit perfectly. Then she got what I guess was an urgent phone call from her mom and she hurried off. It took me a while to realize it, but I still had her necklace." Himeko put her arms on the table and buried her head in them. How could she be so brainless?

"Chikane-chan, eh? Wow, it's hard to believe that two people who wear necklaces with the two halves of the same shell actually found one another. You did say that you felt someone was waiting out there for you and this person was the other half of your shell, right? Does that mean you think she's the one?" Makoto attempted to pry Himeko's head from the surface of their table and when she gave up without much of a fight, the brunette duly noted the bright, red cheeks her blonde friend was sporting.

"Maybe? Kami-sama, it felt so _right_ and awfully familiar when I hugged her and referred to her that way. But I don't even know her and she doesn't even know me. And to top it all off, we're both _**girls**_." Himeko shook her head vigorously at herself.

"Does it weird you out? The fact that you're girls," Makoto replied after a second of contemplation. Himeko gave it a good thought and sighed.

"Well, not exactly, but-"

"Then what's the problem?"

"She probably thinks I'm creepy, for one. She also might think I'm a thief since I still have her necklace. And I grabbed and held her hand, for goodness sakes! I don't know if she'd even like me that way!" Himeko took a slight pause and added as an afterthought, "At least she gave me her number and e-mail."

"Wait, hold on a second," Makoto interrupted her best friend's rambling. "You have a way to get in contact with her? And you still believe she thinks you're weird?" She took her hand and struck Himeko on the head playfully with a few knuckles. The other girl had put her hands up in self-defense rather late. "Come on, look at you! I'm sure she thinks you're just cute and adorable…maybe just a teensy bit weird."

"Don't make fun of me!" Himeko huffed. "Besides, she's just so beautiful, like she isn't someone from this world. And I'm…well, I'm pretty plain."

"That's nonsense! And the attraction can come later… Wait, are you actually attracted to her?" Makoto raised a brow. Himeko blushed, looking down and playing with the hands she now held in her lap.

"Um, well, I-I dunno. But the thought of being attracted to a girl doesn't bother me, I think," she replied. Makoto blinked in mild surprise at the abrupt revelation but quickly recovered in time to give her a sly grin as Himeko happened to look back up at her highly amused friend.

"Well, I should get you some lesbian books now so you can read up on it…" Himeko's eyes widened and her scarlet blush reached a new intensity.

"Stop it, Mako-chan! You're too much! We need to get to know each other first and become interested in one another before anything like _that_ could even happen." The other girl shrugged.

"Suit yourself," Mako said. She grasped one of the plates on the belt that had two salmon rolls and grabbed a pair of chopsticks, setting them down to pour soy sauce in a provided dipping dish. She noticed Himeko hadn't picked up a single platter. "Weren't you starving before I got here? Eat up already!"

Himeko rolled her eyes and spotted a plate with tuna sashimi before fetching it off the belt. She picked up some chopsticks for herself and the two women began eating in earnest. The amethyst-eyed girl chewed thoughtfully, thinking about the circumstances and the way her friend had reacted.

"Hey Mako-chan," Himeko began, "What do you seriously think about all this? I mean, don't you think it's strange and maybe I'm just, I dunno, overreacting and putting my hopes up for nothing?"

Makoto finished of the second roll and grabbed a plate of the mackerel kind before she looked at her with an earnest expression. "I'm frankly surprised, Himeko, that you're asking me that because you were so convinced about it when you told me you had rejected Jin-sama years ago. Now that it's finally happened, you've become so unsure about it. Don't sweat it so much. Just talk to the girl and see where things go. I think the fact that precisely you and this -Chikane was it? - happened to have met means that there's bound to be something in store for you. There's a reason you two crossed paths and now it's up to you to unravel what it is. Just don't go on replacing me, okay?" At this, the emerald-eyed girl stuck her tongue out. Himeko gave her friend a bashful smile.

"Hmm, you might be right, Mako-chan," she said softly. She turned to the screen above their table and made some selections on the touch screen to request shrimp tempura rolls. Makoto was grinning when she looked back at her.

"When am I _not_ right?" Himeko shook her head and, soon enough, the small shinkansen replica arrived at their table carrying the blonde's special order. She removed the dish containing them and pushed the red button that sent it back into the kitchen. Picking up a piece between her chopsticks, she stuck it into her mouth, savoring the light crispiness of the shrimp.

Both girls spent the rest of their dinner engaging in idle chat, mostly talking about what happened on Makoto's end throughout the day: her classes, track meetings, some cute clothes she spotted when she went window shopping. With all this, Himeko's previous reservations about Chikane seemed like they had melted away.

'Thank goodness for good friends,' she thought. Nonetheless, she was pretty hesitant about going on ahead and actually contacting the girl though she knew she was entitled to. Her nervousness over forgetting she still held onto the blue-haired goddess' necklace was the single roadblock that held her back from enthusiastically seeking her. That and the fact that maybe, just maybe, Chikane had been overly polite and really had no interest in making her acquaintance, save for retrieving her forgotten shell necklace.

'I hope Chikane-chan gets in contact with me first, I just feel too awkward about the whole ordeal still.'

Once the girls finished eating, they were handed receipts totaling the number of platters they had consumed (Makoto's, as always, surpassing hers) and after paying downstairs, they left the kaitenzushi place. Now that the sky was completely dark and the younger crowd had taken to the streets, the atmosphere had changed to a more energized and lively one. Shop workers lined the streets announcing hot deals on clothing, accessories, food and karaoke. Groups of people clamored together into many of the establishments along the main street and a few of them were beginning to show the signs of intoxication.

Both of them agreed on seeking some place to enjoy themselves for another while before heading back for the night. They decided to visit a nearby department store in the meantime and walked the few blocks to get there, Makoto teasing Himeko about her 'unknown secret lover' all the while.

Alright, so maybe she _had_ fancied a brief thought about what it could be like. After all, she had plenty of inspiration from Oota Reiko-sensei, her favorite manga-ka's yuri manga. Maybe that's why the idea of two girls together hadn't really fazed her. There was just something about a love so deep that it overcame the barrier of gender that held appeal to Himeko.

As they waited to cross the final block before their destination, the short-haired brunette linked arms with her friend and Himeko looked at her in question. Makoto simply smiled at her.

"No matter what, Himeko," she declared firmly, "I'll always support you." Himeko practically beamed at the statement and pulled them a little closer together as they walked.

"Thanks Mako-chan."

* * *

"Gochisou-sama," Chikane announced as she set her custom-made ivory chopsticks on their rest. She wiped her mouth daintily on the napkin she held in her lap before setting it beside an empty dinner plate. A maid with dark blonde curls dressed in an elaborate lacy uniform stood by her mistress. She bowed wordlessly and stacked up the used table and silverware on a cart before whisking it all away to a kitchen across several hundred feet from the dining room.

A similar-looking woman with shoulder length dark blue hair and dark brown eyes sat adjacent to the younger lady and sipped on a cup of freshly brewed coffee. It didn't take a genius to figure out that, based on their looks, they were mother and daughter. However, the older Himemiya had lines on her face that came with age though she had certainly maintained herself well. She set her cup down and turned to her daughter who seemed more interested in being anywhere but there.

"Now that we took care of your father's business," the refined older woman started, "How was your day, Chikane?" The woman in question sighed, not really interested in engaging in idle chit-chat but humoring her mother for harmony's sake.

"For the most part, rather uneventful," Chikane curtly replied, "I seem to have misplaced an item of mine, but I should be able to recover it without issue."

"Hmm, I don't see you wearing the necklace you usually carry around. Is that what's gone missing?" The older woman only sounded genuinely interested in her daughter's affairs but Chikane knew better than that.

"Yes. However, I have the person's contact information so it should be alright." The long-haired girl was growing bored of her mother's useless questioning and hoped she could just up and leave in the face of the awkwardness of acting like they were carrying out a normal conversation.

"Ah. Is it someone I know?" her mother asked. Chikane sighed internally. She hoped this mother-daughter 'bonding' time didn't end up taking the rest of the night.

"No. It's someone I just met today, really," she said.

"Is he an attractive young man?"

"It's actually a girl."

"Oh."

Chikane knew the route her mother sought to take. Although she had barely turned twenty, she was cognizant about her mother and father's push for having their only daughter consent to an engagement. The Himemiyas needed a male to marry into the family in order to carry on the management of their corporation, Himemiya Heavy Industries, or HHI for short. It was one of the leading Japanese manufacturers of transportation equipment with prior roots as a leading supplier of airplanes to the government during World War II. A few years following the end of the war, five other companies joined them to form the conglomerate that it was known as today.

The Himemiya heiress respected her family's company and had expressed her assent to join its ranks once she attained a degree in Business Administration, to many a male Himemiya's chagrin. Still, she had not agreed on most of the terms set forth by her now retired grandfather. Chikane stated that she preferred to hand pick her own spouse while secretly doubting she'd ever find a suitable companion. She hoped the white lie would suffice for the time being and then she would attempt to find a loophole when the situation called for it. It seemed like the topic was growing more and more critical in her household and, frankly, this annoyed her to no end. She would happily oblige to some mediocre position at the Kyoto branch as long as she could enjoy some privacy and avoid relocation to the headquarters in Tokyo with a husband.

"Chikane, I know this may sound impetuous coming from me but, you know, I can still arrange an omiai, if you wish. There are plenty of interested suitors-"

"No thank you, Mother. I'd rather stick with my original aims."

"But-"

"I really do not wish to discuss this issue any further. I'm sorry." The look on Chikane's face left no room for contradictions. The elder's shoulders slumped and, releasing a sigh, she found it prudent to not push her daughter this time.

'No doubt about it, Chikane's no-nonsense attitude is definitely a trait she inherited from her father's side of the family,' the mother thought amusedly, 'yet she looks so much like her grandmother and I. Looks are deceiving.'

"Very well then, what would you like to discuss?"

Chikane reflected on the question she had been presented with and picked any trifle thing to mention.

"I just wanted to inform you that I've declared BA as my major along with my minor in music, so everything is in perfect, working order."

"Alright…anything else? Maybe that girl you met today?"

Chikane visibly shifted in her seat and became a bit stunned. This physical response did not go unnoticed by her mother, though. She found her daughter's behavior rather peculiar and began to highly suspect that there were many things left unsaid about their meeting. Not wanting to risk any further disputes between them, she decided to leave it at that but she was determined to get her daughter to reveal a fuller account in the near future.

"It's really not that important but we can chat about it more next time." Chikane did not have the desire to go into a heart-to-heart conversation about her life-altering meeting with Himeko, her confused feelings or muddled thoughts- at least not until she had thought long and hard about the day's earlier event and figured out its meaning.

"Sure. So…will you be sleeping over tonight?"

"Hmm, I don't think so. There are a few things I have to take care of tonight." The older woman's spirits deflated a little.

"Okay, I understand."

"If you'll excuse me, Mother, I should get going now."

"Hold on, I'll call the driver so he can take you home-" Chikane had begun to stand and was about to politely decline, but conceded her mother this one. She gave her a small and forced smile, a smile nonetheless, and stood rooted to the spot.

"Okay."

The Himemiya's personal chauffeur welcomed Chikane on board their private limousine with a bow and held open the back door. She greeted him casually and gave her mother, who was standing by the gates of the entrance, a quick goodbye before going inside. She saw her mother give her a smile and wave as the vehicle pulled out of their estate, one of the grandest in the whole town. Lush green and a variety of colored flowers and shrubs enveloped the entrance to the Himemiya mansion so much so that an entire team of landscapers were hired to look after it all.

Back inside the limo, the driver thought about having small talk with his mistress but took it back when he stared at her through the rearview mirror. Chikane's mind was all but there at the moment, sort of how it had been for the remainder of the day following her meeting with Himeko.

It was weird.

She never gave much importance to anyone outside of her parents and family, but this girl was utterly captivating. More so than anyone she'd ever met. Another thing was just how…_cute_ she was. The long-haired woman had found things cute before like kittens, puppies, maybe clothes, but it was the first time it had been another person.

And the hug, my goodness, that hug just warmed her entire body up without the presence of a flame. She was strangely overwhelmed with the strong desire to protect the blonde and the feeling that responsibility solely belonged to her, and only her.

Her eyes, though. Those lipid pools of amethyst had drawn her in with an invisible force. Before she knew it, she was leaning down to get closer to that angelic face almost as if she was about to _kiss_ her. Chikane scoffed at the thought. That was hardly possible.

That moment the limo had reached its destination and the chauffeur was already making his way to the other side to open the door for the Himemiya lady. She was filled with slight embarrassment. What if he saw all her reactions during her trance?

She decided to turn a blind eye and thanked him before making her way inside the apartment complex. Chikane took an elevator to the top floor of the building and turned the keys in the lock to open her suite. It was a nicely furnished apartment, though nothing about it really held a homey sort of feel. The place had more than enough space for her and she even had staff to look after keeping it clean for her, one of the perks of being a Himemiya. She knew money didn't buy happiness and, through this, had realized she was not a happy person.

Deep inside, a voice told her that this Himeko, however, could possibly provide her with a slice of it.

Chikane locked the door behind her and set her bag down, fishing out her high-tech cell phone. Realizing seconds later that her nimble fingers had brought up the blonde's entry under her contacts, she blinked in surprise. 'What the hell?'

The blue-haired girl knew that she itching to compose a message to her new –she assumed– friend. She had offered the girl initially to contact her, so did she really need to take the liberty of doing it first?

* * *

kaitenzushi: lit. conveyor belt sushi. There need to be more places like this outside Japan.  
eki: station, like a bus or train station  
shinkansen: the bullet train; I've been on it and it is awesomely fast.  
gochisou-sama: a set expression thanking the person who made the meal  
omiai: where two individuals are introduced to one another with the possibility of marriage. It's not that common in Japan anymore but the Himemiyas are a more traditional sort of family.

**(A/N)**: This chapter sure ended up being longer than I expected it to. Hopefully you don't mind too much. Let me know how the length is working out for you. Again, please review with sugar on top! :3


End file.
